By Vincent Gunde
The Consumers Association of Malawi (CAMA) has given the Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA) seven days to withdraw tariff adjustments on mobile data bundles by Airtel Malawi and TNM.
The CAMA said the recent tariff increases on mobile bundles have been effected against the Communication Act of 2016 and is infringing consumers rights as provided for in the Republican Constitution.
The organization has expressed fears that these new tarif adjustments are being introduced at a time when consumers are experiencing poor quality service from the two mobile network operators and at a time when government has just introduced a lot of taxes on mobile transactions.
” At a time when consumers are experiencing poor delivery of mobile services, MACRA has decided to reward the two mobile network operators with tarif increases instead of addressing the key challenges being experienced by consumers such as poor quality network and connectivity,” reads the statement in part signed by its Executive Director John Kapito.
Speaking through an audio clip recently, political activist Bon Kalindo blasted the two mobile network operators for no welfare of customers at heart saying their presence in Malawi is not to serve customers but to milk customers who already are paying more to get the two mobile network operator’s services.
Kalindo accused MACRA of watching these two mobile network operators punishing the citizens with unrealistic tarifs on their data bundles saying these service providers are taking Malawians for granted.
He asked the two mobile network operators that if they are tired of working in Malawi, they better pack up their goods and go to other countries but Malawians are sick and tired to have them working in their country.
The Activist recalled that there was a time when Mulli Brothers wanted to establish a mobile network company in Malawi saying this is the time for government to allow many service providers to come to Malawi for the citizens to choose the best of the best mobile data bundles to use.
